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Army of the Glazfelli Hegemony
The Glazfell Hegemony is effectively a feudal structure consisting of a kingship and several duchies rather than a singular nation, and thus the composition of its army varies based on the preferences of the Dukes conscripting parts of it. There are some standards in place regarding individual companies and qualifications to maintain cohesion, however. In general, Glazfell's armies favor both light and heavy infantry in addition to a set of specialists, with little cavalry to speak of. To oppose enemy cavalry, they usually make use of massed Suri rather than Lancers. Enemy infantry are typically walled off by Royal Men-at-Arms backed by a line of Suri and pelted with javelins and arrows from slightly further back. As might be suggested by these two tactical suggestions, Glazfelli warfare relies heavily on careful formations of disciplined soldiery rather than individual combat prowess. The Hegemony does not demand universal compulsory military service among its people, but any noble is permitted to conscript commoners if the size of their guard is below the standards set by the king. Generally this standard is three-thousand men per duchy. While more forces can be raised, doing so requires explicit permission from the King or a Grand Duke. Most conscripts are men thanks to cultural bias, with the notable exception of Frosskov's more-or-less egalitarian selection. Officers are chosen from the nobility, though the requirements here are lax: Military service is very popular among bastard sons and even daughters, as any noble blood is sufficient. Royal Men-At-Arms The elite forces of House Daan are nearly completely composed of these fine fellows, who are nearly always drawn from the ranks of the Frosten. Equipped with Plate Armour over silken gambesons and large rounded shields, these men comprise a majority of Glazfell's heavy infantry. Their shields are made from cavorite-soaked wood backed by bronze, decreasing their overall weight and allowing them to catch weapons without sacrificing a significant amount of protection or strength. Most carry both a single javelin and a long knife to ensure that they always have some ability to affect the battle, even if it means throwing one of their weapons in the enemy's general direction. Each one of their shields bears House Daan's distinctive Axe-and-Snowflake crest despite no longer seriously using axes for non-ceremonial purposes. Hoar Scarrels There's an Estglazi legend dating back to the Glazfelli Civil War, speaking of a horde of Frosten whose hearts became naught but ice during battle and whose breath brought winter as far south as Skarre and beyond into Frosskov. Regardless of its truth, Duke Senroth of the Estglaz chose to style his ducal retainer after them, and most of his Counts and Barons have followed suit. These men wear silk for maximal mobility, though they usually wear bracers, greaves, a helmet, and a brigantine to protect their most vulnerable areas. Many of them use the techniques of Langen und Kurze, though some adapt it to other weapons and others leave it behind entirely. Hoar Scarrels function throughout a given campaign in a capacity similar to that of Frosskovi rangers, by marauding in bands, attacking enemy supply trains, and slaughtering their scouts. In larger engagements, they usually lurk near the edges of the Glazfelli columns to ambush foes that attempt to flank the formation, in addition to mopping up disorganized enemy formations that the phalanx has already plowed through and broken. Rangers (Usually catfolk, wildernessy-type skirmishing light infantry. Often know Tuhat.) Agniers Most commonly Werekin, Agniers are hovercraft teams specializing in blackpowder weaponry. They are probably the closest thing Glazfell has to cavalry, and are used to secure the flanks of the formation or to attack enemy flanks. Deihandrs Skarval's "God Hands", deihandrs are elite spear-hurlers. They make heavy use of tools such as the atlatl and cavorite-soaked spears to improve the amount of force and distance that they can manage with this art. With these tools at their disposal, they can achieve ranges similar to that of a longbow, with incredibly high penetration and lethality Suri Suri is the Drugaudan word for "Heron". These units are line infantry and usually learn Suri Luthola or a similar school. When they form a line, their spears are frighteningly dangerous. They usually wear what amounts to sleeveless plate, though their arms still have silk shielding, so that they have maximal protection without limiting their ability to suddenly thrust. Suri make up a significant portion of Glazfell's military, with many Skarvali and Drugaudan people in their ranks. Category:Military Category:Tellurian Militaries